Chipotle’s “Scarecrow”: A Call to Veganism?

Recently, Chipotle released an animated short film designed to draw attention to the perils of processed food, while, of course, trying to get people to play the company’s new online game. Chipotle, which was primarily owned by McDonalds until 2006, is known in the industry for its efforts to use organic ingredients and naturally raised animals in its menu.

The short film is certainly touching—there are images of adorable animated cows packed in tight crates and chickens being pumped with what are presumably hormones. The main character, the Scarecrow, is working in a food processing factory as a repair man and gets a first hand look at these horrifying practices. The Scarecrow returns home to his charming cottage to find that a pepper (could it be a chipotle pepper?) has grown in his garden. He works hard in this newly blossoming garden until he has enough food to open a stand in the city where he once worked. But there’s something missing from the Scarecrow’s new restaurant: meat.

Chipotle does not claim to be a vegetarian or vegan restaurant, but in its advertisement, the Scarecrow’s restaurant, which is designed to mimic Chipotle itself, does not serve meat. Some might say that it would have been more truthful to include a look at the “farm raised” animals Chipotle claims it uses. Perhaps a glimpse at the contrasting conditions of a chemically laden chicken and a free range one could have urged people to stop buying processed meats. But how much less charming would this little film be if it showed some comfortably raised, grass fed cows being hauled off to slaughter? Abolitionists might actually appreciate Chipotle’s “Scarecrow,” as it seems to promote a vegan lifestyle by eliminating meat from the main character’s menu. Or, Chipotle could just be portraying itself as a “sustainable” and “animal-friendly” alternative so that people feel more comfortable about eating at the restaurant, which Gary Francione posits. Francione finds that the Chipotle ad is much more harmful than helpful to the abolitionist movement.

I suppose what is more important about “The Scarecrow” is the message people actually got out of it. A Washington Post article, commenting on the Chipotle ad, said, “I know that Chipotle’s point is that they are conscientious, but ‘conscientious’, short of a chicken who hands you the knife herself with a hand-written note saying that she has achieved all her life goals, found peace, and is looking forward to rejoining her family, still doesn’t cut it after animation this cute. In fact, even that scenario is incredibly depressing.” Shouldn’t it be depressing though, if we want to stop the exploitation of animals? I don’t know if Chipotle was aiming for an “eat vegan” message, but I think it’s the impression many viewers got. Could Chipotle be paving the way for a meatless fast food universe? According to Gary Francione and some other skeptics, absolutely not. But according to many others, including myself, it could be a vital stepping-stone in getting people to question what they are eating.